"Turkey must overcome internal divisions and get back to long-delayed reforms early next year to show it is serious about wanting to join the European Union", the bloc's enlargement chief said.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said he expected more Balkan countries to apply for EU membership following Montenegro's move earlier this month, but urged them not to rush in because they must first show a track record of reforms.

"Next year should also be the year of a settlement in Cyprus," Rehn said. "Next year will be an important litmus test of whether Turkey is serious about its EU accession perspective."

"After one or two years of domestic difficulties, we would expect Turkey now to put up a new gear and seriously start to pursue the reforms again," he said.

Turkey narrowly avoided a crisis this year over a public prosecutor's attempt to have the Constitutional Court ban the ruling AK Party.

"There is too much energy used on internal tensions which could be used for pursuing legal and economic reforms that are required for EU membership."

Rehn urged Turkey to get to business quickly. "The sooner the better, but at the latest after the March (local) elections, Turkey should totally resume the reforms again," he said, Reuters reports.